One More Step

Guard Ao Theo came in front of her and started circling her than nodded. ''Your inner power seems to be stable enough. I will teach you how to make a basic protection shield. Guard Bathuk will teach Anna. Come, let's start now. Tomorrow morning we are going to the city.''

Kyra nodded but then searched with her eyes around not seeing the person she had questions for. ''Where is Elder Kai, I have couple questions...''

Guard Ao Theo pointed ta her head. ''Concentrate on task. He left to prepare everything officially. He will pick you two up with big fanfare in the morning, so you need to learn about this shield tonight. Actually do you really want to let that girl sleep longe now? She needs to learn this as well.''

Kyra was about to go back when she saw Anna standing on the door and look at her. ''I could hear everything. I want to learn it as well. So my guard's name is Guard Bathuk?''

In front of her jumped a man that made both girls gasp. He was like a boulder broken off the mountain. Tall, muscular and wild mane. Like some kind of ancient warrior. He stood there with just simple gear on and a huge sword on his back. Looking at his fiery red eyes Kyra was seriously surprised. Berseker? But don't berserkers have blue eyes?

''In heard of people of ancient warrior blood. Their names were Berserkers. Their blood would boil in battle and they would become unbeatable.'' She looked up and down his body and then questioningly looked at him.

But his eyes turned to Guard Ao Theo and she heard a chuckle. ''Actually...'' She then realized. He was tall and had quite bright shoulders himself. The strikingly blue eyes were so striking that she suddenly realized what Guard Ao Theo is. But what about Guard Bathuk?

''Bathuk comes from a long line of dragoners. A long time ago one of his ancestors crossed his blood with dragon blood and they became quite strong... and very long-lived. Guard Bathuk is just 200 years old and is considered a baby in his clan.''

The girls looked at him with a wide gaped mouth as they checked his looks. But Guard Bathuk just silently stood there and let them do it while his eyes unintentionally landed on Kyra's face. Ao Theo felt annoyed by that. ''What are you staring at?''

Guard Bathuk calmly turned his eyes to Guard Ao Theo and pointed at Kyra's face. ''One of her eyelashes is on her cheeks. Somehow it feels bothersome.''

Guard Ao Theo looked at Kyra's face and just waved his hand. The eyelash disappeared in instant, making Guard Bathuk laugh. ''So overprotective. Like a hen.''

''Mind your own protectee. I will teach Kyra the protection shield. They are going to be in mid of the epidemic and I have no wish that she gets hurt there in any kind of way. What you gonna do is your own business.'' Guard Ao Theo grabbed Kyra and disappeared leaving two stunned people standing there.

Guard Bathuk sighed looking at Anna. ''Kyra's inner powers seem to be stable, but yours seem to go wild when she is not around. You know you cant stay by her side forever. Your grandparents found out what happened to your parents and are waiting for your return. Your whole family is. Kyra and you are meant to be together for the next three years and just learn about things that should be helpful in the future. We never expected you two to get so close together in such a short amount of time.''

Anna looked at him aggrieved. ''I grew close to her. What should I do?''

''I don't know. One thing is for sure. You can't lean on her for the rest of your life. If you really want to help her in the future you need to become strong yourself as well. Earlier or later you would have been taking back to your family, you did realize that, right?'' His voice was deep as he stared at the girl in front of him.

Anna couldn't give up easily. ''I planned to get close to her and just take her back home with me. With time I would have taught her more about Eluron. My family would have accepted her. I am sure.''

Guard Bathuk just silently stared at her bowed head and a slight smirk appeared on his face that quickly disappeared. ''If you say so. Let's try to stabilize your inner power quickly. You need to learn basic protective shields as well. It might save your life.''

Anna nodded and started learning everything about inner power and shield from her Guard while Kyra already understood after a few tries. Guard Ao Theo was no more even surprised. He realized that this child was a bit smarter than her friend but had no intention to tell that Kyra. He chose to teach her separately as he felt that Kyra held a lot back when Anna was around. Letting her come to hr level slowly.

But he felt bad for Kyra that way. Anna was like a huge mountain that dragged behind Kyra. But he understood Kyra at the same time. She wanted to slow down as well. With slower learning, she could understand better many things instead of just skipping them.

Looking at her stable shield that spread steadily around her body he proudly spoke about himself. ''I am not a that bad teacher, right?''

Kyra smiled slightly while she tried to concentrate on her shield. Like thin wrap around the whole body, it spread bit by bit. When last strands of shield closed she realized how comfortable it was. She could steel feel cold, and hot could feel sunshine and wind but didn't feel anymore uncomfortable.

He patted her head. ''In winter, it was you who helped us, right?''

She stared at him surprised. ''How...?'' But suddenly he pinched her cheek.

''You dumb fool. I am your own Guard. How should I not know how your inner power feels. I was so surprised that you could do this that I just was stunned for days. Actually you helped us renew our shields We can't die of cold, you know, but we can freeze. Then we wouldn't be able to protect you two. Giving us that boost made us cozy and comfortable whole winter.'' He looked down the hill as they stood inside the cave.

When he turned his head he could see a bunch of deers peeking around the corner at Kyra. ''What is this about?''

''If I go back to Eluron I plan to take the deers with me. They are my pets. Arent they cute?'' She saw small one jumping towards her and hiding in her arms while other deers snuggled around her.

Guard Ao Theo was curious. ''But why did you make them pets?''

Kyra looked at the tall white deer. ''Ther where I come white deers are saint creatures that are protectors of living forces and life. I actually let them leave back to the forest but after they waited at the entrance for a long time I choose to let them in. Since then they didn't even try to go out.''

there were just one stag and tow female deers all pearl white-furred. One of the small ones was white with black dots and the other one was black with white dots that made both babies look adorable.

''To tell you the truth this is the fist time I see white deers.'' It was indeed a strange occurrence.

Kyra patted their heads and snuggled the small ones. ''When humans want to eat the meat they think about three things, food, medicine use. Meat, bone and fur. White deer are anyway rare. If hunters see them they would try to kill them for their beautiful fur. Or would capture them and let them live as prisoners for entire life.''

He looked at a huge cave and hook his head. ''Arent they live here as well as prisoners?''

Kyra nodded. ''Yes. That is the reason why I want to take them back to Eluron. When Elder Kai told me about the huge forest that not many entered that idea popped inside my head. Maybe they will be safer there. Just maybe...''

He nodded. At least they could live freely for a while.